Expert: Holiday Shoppers Need To Read The Fine Print Before Jumping On Dazzling Deals
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Holiday shopping may not be for the faint of heart, and the dazzling deals out there sometimes come with fine print that shoppers should read.
'Have we got a deal for you,' may be as sketchy as it sounds, since apparent holiday shopping bargains can boomerang.
As CBS2's Steve Langford reported, prime among the dubious offers are discounts of 15 to 20 percent off the purchase price for opening up store credit cards.
"These cards typically have really low credit limits and really high interest rates which is really dangerous and can hurt your credit score," explained consumer expert Mark Locastro.
Locastro keeps an eagle eye out for deals that may disappoint or even deceive, like extended warranties, which are in some cases, little more than icing on the retailer's cake.
"These are definitely unnecessary costs, because the original manufacturer warranty will cover any damage or defect that your product does have," Locastro said.
Gift cards may expire or lose value, some refunds are restricted, and retailers have been known to charge re-stocking fees for returned items.
"Re-stocking fees could be up to 15 percent of that original purchase so if you're buying an electronics product like a TV this could add up in cost," he added.
Ignorance is not bliss for consumers who are sometimes mystified by the complexities of consumer literacy, when they're not wary.
"I really don't worry about it cause I don't shop with cards from companies that are specific," Sharon Ufberg said.
Some shoppers simply chose to get back to basics.
"Me when I want to buy, I like to buy by cash," Jacqueline Medor said.
Free shipping is also something to keep an eye on. The fine print may show minimum spending levels before the free shipping kicks in.
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